10 Things You Must Do To Take Care of Your Dental Fillings

Once you’ve had your fillings done, there are ways to take care of them post-surgery, and your dentist will appraise you of those. After the sensitivity has worn off, it’s time for proactive day-to-day care of your dental fillings, so that they serve you well for a long time. Here are 10 tips from our Livonia dentist on how to take care of your dental fillings.

1. Avoid grinding your teeth as this damages your fillings and your teeth as well. Ask your dentist for a mouth guard if you know that you are a tooth-grinder. Regular tooth-grinding tends to wear you’re your fillings and cause small chips and cracks to occur in your teeth, apart from increasing sensitivity.

2. Avoid smoking tobacco in any form as this can seriously stain your fillings and make your mouth look ugly. Also, tobacco stains tend to stick to the edges of your teeth and your gums, giving you bad breath and bad aesthetics.

3. Avoid sugary and acidic foods; both of these can get under fillings and cause decay underneath. Over time, fillings can break down and leak. Also, if you must eat sugary or acidic foods, be sure to brush your teeth after.

4. Increase your water intake as this keeps your mouth moist which deters sticky objects from adhering to your gums and your fillings. If you’re unable to brush, rinse your mouth thoroughly with water.

5. Take plenty of legumes, vegetables and lean protein in your diet to ensure better oral health. Eating fibrous foods will ensure better oral health and your fillings will stay in place. Also avoid biting or chewing your nails, as this can harm both your teeth and your fillings.

6. Ask your dentist to prescribe a fluoride gel or paste if you have multiple fillings. Fluoride can help protect your teeth from further cavities and promote general oral health. Also, Fluoride gel or paste can help strengthen your dental enamel, which only increases the lifespan of your fillings.

7. Avoid alcohol in any form, even the alcohol that’s present in mouthwashes and toothpastes. Alcohol reduces the durability of your fillings, and can sometimes stain them. Look for mouthwashes that are non-alcoholic while shopping in the market.

8. After every meal, be sure to brush and floss your teeth. By doing this, you can maintain the health of your gums, your teeth and your fillings. The clean oral environment will ensure that there’s no need for further fillings and will prevent unsightly stains as well.

9. Chew some gum if you’re not able to brush your teeth for some reason. For example, if you’re out and unable to get to a bathroom, a piece of gum keeps your mouth clean of sticky substances.

10. Avoid drinking tea, coffee or wine as these beverages tend to stain your teeth and your filling. If you must drink any of these beverages, be sure to brush your teeth afterwards to prevent staining.